SUPPORTERS say it’s a school program designed to curb bullying and establish a safer school culture by teaching junior high school students about gay, lesbian and transgender issues.

Opponents say it’s propaganda forced upon year 7 and 8 students and raises sexual issues inappropriate for the age of participants.

Debate over the $8 million Safe Schools education program operating in 490 schools Australia-wide has reached new levels, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull requesting a review amid growing criticism of the program from Coalition backbenchers and a partyroom discussion today.

The review is expected to provide advice to Education Minister Simon Birmingham on the future of the controversial program by next month.

The federal government-funded program provides educational resources to participating schools with a focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) issues to encourage more inclusive education for all students.

Among the program’s resources is “All Of Us”, which contains eight lessons to “guide students to a better understanding of gender diversity, sexual diversity and intersex topics”.

The program is based on a series of videos showcasing a person who is homosexual another who is bisexual, a transgender person, and an intersex person.

Among the scenarios students are encouraged to discuss after watching the videos are imagining what it would mean to them in terms of gender identity of they were to lose their genitals.

Other debates include the correct terms to use when referring to transgender people, why they may feel excluded with the use of other terms, and a challenge for participants to become an “ally” to make LGBTI people feel safe and included.

Senator Cory Bernardi — a long-time critic of Safe Schools — wants federal government funding for the program ceased, saying it is “indoctrination”.

Senators have questioned whether the Safe Schools program is appropriate for young children.Source:Supplied

“It beggars belief that we’re asking 11-year-olds to identify themselves or imagine themselves as having no genitals,” Mr Bernardi told the Senate on Monday night.

“Schools should be places of learning, not propaganda.”

Among the supporters of the program is openly gay Greens senator Robert Simms, who told the Senate the program was not trying to encourage any particular sexuality or gender identity. He said it would have been nice to learn in school that gay people could have happy lives.

“Newsflash: some people are gay and some people are transgender and, despite Senator Bernardi’s efforts at social engineering and efforts to deny that reality exists within our schoolyard, there are gay and lesbian kids at school,” Mr Simms said.

“There are people at school who have issues with their gender identity who may well be transitioning. Those people deserve to have their experience recognised within the schoolyard.

“Not talking about it is not going to change that reality. Denying that reality in schools does nothing other than create more human misery.”

Meanwhile, Senator Simon Birmingham said homophobia “should be no more tolerated than racism, especially in the school environment”.

“It is essential that all material is age appropriate and that parents have confidence in any resources used in a school to support the right of all students, staff and families to feel safe at school,” he said.